GSTOP Gold Award Girl Scouts

Cultural Awareness

Jaliyah addressed the lack of cultural awareness at Lake Ridge High School by creating the Kulture Club and a Culture Fair. This Gold Award Girl Scout provided a way for students to display and learn about different cultures within the school and make all cultures feel welcome at the school.

Jaliyah is a member of Troop 2112 and plans to graduate from Lake Ridge High School in 2025. Amy Markan served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

MusiCare

The MusiCARE Gold Award Project created a lasting program utlizing student musicians and volunteers to bring more music to the lives of the elderly in the community, which has shown to improve mental health.

Jane Claire is a member of Troop 4817 and plans to graduate in 2024 from Aledo High School. Paddy Parks served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

Website for Parents with LGBT+ Kids

When parents are unable to find accurate, true, and safe information on how to be supportive to their trans and non-binary children, the outcome can be detrimental to the mental health of all involved. By creating a website specific for parents who have children who identify as LGBT+, this Gold Award project helps destigmatize information about the LGBT+ community.

Collin was a member of Troop 2137 and graduatied from Mansfield High School in 2023. Holly Rhoring served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

A Helping Hand for Patients

Sanaya's Gold Award project highlights the difficulties many patients encounter when experiencing challenging and unexpected circumstances of a hospital stay. The project brings awareness to the lack of hygiene items for many admitted patients and teaches the community the importance of supporting local health care facilities.

Sanaya is a member of Troop 1142 and will graduate in 2024 from Timber Creek High School. Pat Garcia served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

Athletes United

Athletes United aimed to address the lack of recognition for girls' sports at Lake Worth High School, which was causing a decline in participation of girls in sports. Lack of physical education in schools and limited opportunities to play sports in both high school and college means girls look elsewhere for sports, which may not exist or only be available to those who can afford it.

Miya was a member of Troop 2772 and graduated from Lake Worth High School in 2023. Deborah Johnson served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

Animal Enrichment Project

After the pandemic, the number of sheltered animals increased while the number of personnel and volunteers to care for them decreased. Through the Animal Enrichment Project, this Gold Award project provided toys that require little to no human interaction, as well as spread awareness about the importance and need fo volunteers at shelters.

Miranda is a member of Troop 4043 and plans to graduate in 2024 from Carroll Senior High School. Patrick Noblitt served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

A Sacred Space for Healting, Prayer and Hope

Molly's Gold Award project took an empty room at a local women's health clinic and created a place where all could be welcomed with their thoughts after an appointment. By creating a beneficial space for all visitors, the room works as a solitary space, a quiet conversation, a place for prayer, and just a place to sit calmly and take deep breaths. 

Molly is a member of Troop 3024 and will graduate in 2024 from RL Paschal High School. Nicole Havrilla served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

Birthday Party Cake and Bake

Anna's project addressed families struggling through poverty, food insecurities, and the lack of celebrating birthdays with birthday cakes due to the extra expense. With Birthday Party Cake and Bake, families are able to provide their child with an unforgettable experience including the cake, candles, napkins and plates, balloons, a birthday card, and a birthday button/badge.

Anna is a member of Troop 1520 and a student at Nolan Catholic High School scheduled to graduate in 2025. Anni Hengesback-Gomes served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

Scholarship Planning: Tips, Tricks and Things to Know

Quinn's project addressed the lack of information and guidance available to students and families preparing for college by providing tips on how to find scholarships, writing winning essays, and providing parents with online resources to navigate the process. By working with the Peaster High School counselor and focusing on the surrounding rural community, an informational presentation was created to provide guidance for students and parents that are applying for scholarships. 

Quinn is a member of Troop 91211 and will graduate in 2024 from Peaster High School. Lori Hancock served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

Mental Health Matters

Poor mental health affects a student's ability to perform well in school. The transitions between intermediate to middle and middle to high school can be stressful on a student. By providing stress-relieving objects for students who visit the school counselor in times of difficulty, Project Mental Health Matters provides resources to fit all needs in order to help these students identify which methods of comfort work best for them. 

Zania is a member of Troop 1563 and is scheduled to graduate from Carroll High School in 2026. Dr. Sanam Lalani, PhD, Neuropsychologist, served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

Environmental Sustainability in Fashion

Kate's project addressed the lack of knowledge surrounding the fast fashion industry, its profound environmental implications, and methods to reverse these effects. This project provided education about the environmental footprint left by fast fashion companies while presenting ethical alternatives that could create a positive change for the environment. 

Kate is a member of Troop 3024 and will graduate in 2024 from RL Paschal High School. R'Bonney Gabriel served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

Fashionable Fidgets

With more schools banning fidget spinners, students with anxiety who say they focus better with fidget devices are at a disadvantage. By making and distributing fidget jewelry to high school students, this Gold Award project helped students create and find new options to relieve fidget tendencies.

Ashley is a member of Troop 1300 and is scheduled to graduate from Flint Academy in 2025. Felicia Freeman served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

Chit-Chat Placemats

Sydney's Gold Award Project aimed at creating placemats with conversation starters to help children with conversation skills. Chit-Chat Placemats provide students with conversation prompts, helping to improve their social skills and allowing them to feel included in lunchtime conversations.

Sydney is a member of Troop 1300 and will graduate in 2024 from Flint Academy. Melissa Vollmering served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

Welcome to Horn Showing 101

Lack of showmanship clinics that include the proper handling of Texas Longhorns led to this Gold Award project on how to properly take care of, train, and get a Longhorn ready for a show. To prepare for showing a longhorn, the Welcome to Horn Showing 101 was created for newcomers and/or exhibitors of the Texas Longhorn.

Evelyn is a member of Troop 8755 and will graduate in 2024 from Boyd High School. Jacob Lowrie served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

Ascension Academy Pole Vault Pit Reconstruction

When pole vaulting was added to the school's track and field options, a secure pole-vaulting space was needed. By creating a specific pole vault pit (including a concrete pad offering a level space for the mat to be placed and a new mat with an all-weather cover), this provides a safe and secure environment for pole vaulters to not only practice, but also compete.

Jennie was a member of Troop 5130 and graduated from Ascension Academy in 2023. Steve Lott served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

Date Violence Self Defense

Approximately 1 in 5 female high school students report being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner. By developing a curriculum with self-defense techniques focused on escape of situations and how to recognize dating violence, this Gold Award project aimed to spread awareness about the prevalence of dating violence and teach self-defense to 13-19 year-old females.

Skye was a member of Troop 1147 and graduated in 2023. Mary Johanneson served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

Head Above Water

Head Above Water addresses the issue of young children drowning and accidents happening around swimming pools. By spreading knowledge and awareness to young children about drowning, Isabella was able to inform audiences about prevention methods and demonstrate useful skills to prevent water accidents from occuring.

Isabella is a member of Troop 3516 and will graduate in 2024 from Martin STEM Academy. Brian Dangelmaier served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

Assisting Cancer Patients and Awareness of Treatment Time

Tracie's Gold Award aimed to create activity kits for cancer centers and infusion clinics, helping families and patients pass the time in an active way. By providing activities such as coloring and puzzles, the patient and family members can temporarily remove their thoughts from the situation and engage in thinking and memory skills to take their thoughts to a new place.

Tracie is a member of Troop 3200 and will graduate in 2024 from Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville. Olivia Allen served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.

The Prom Project

Prom is viewed as a "rite of passage" for high school students, but to the LGBTQ+ community, prom is not a place where they feel safe going for fear of discrimination or school rules. The Prom Project was created to provide a safe event for people who do not identify with social norms, allowing high school students from across the area to feel safe and welcomed at a high school tradition.

Jupiter is a member of Troop 2700 and will graduate in 2024 from Northwest High School. Bertinand Gardner served as the Gold Award Project Advisor.